Rassie Erasmus: Siya Kolisi took the ‘option’ to play ‘massive All Blacks Test’ despite injury
Rassie Erasmus has explained Siya Kolisi's injury.
Rassie Erasmus has explained Siya Kolisi’s injury and why the Springboks captain is able to feature against the All Blacks in Cape Town.
Kolisi sustained a facial injury in the victory over New Zealand at Ellis Park and looked set to miss the rematch in Cape Town but Erasmus has revealed that the flanker has delayed getting the issue sorted by two weeks.
Siya Kolisi starts second Test
However, the flanker has been deemed fit to start the second match against New Zealand and will lead the side for the 58th time on Saturday.
After the match in Johannesburg, the Springboks skipper was swollen around his cheek and eye leading many to believe that it was a cheek fracture but the Springboks boss has confirmed that it is a nose injury.
“It’s a nose fracture, again I don’t want to sound like a medical doctor so I don’t want to try and say the bones involved because I will probably pronounce it wrong,” Erasmus said after including Kolisi in his matchday 23.
“But he had two options, either he had to get it placed back now and then he is out for three weeks or the doc said he could wait two weeks and then put it back in place.”
This means that Kolisi will need to spend three weeks on the sidelines and will likely miss the end of the Rugby Championship as Erasmus explained that the inspirational skipper opted out of getting the injury treated now in order to face the All Blacks.
“Siya wanted the option to play now and get it reset in two weeks’ time,” Erasmus added.
“It’s a massive Test and not just for the Rugby Championship – but playing the All Blacks at Cape Town Stadium – everyone wants to be there and be involved.”
“I must say I saw a few sad faces when we announced the team on Monday, I think Marco must be desperately disappointed not because he would have played in Siya’s place but because we didn’t go for the 6-2 split.”
Unlucky lock and long-term Springboks captain
The decision to revert back to the more conventional 5-3 split on the bench also meant that the Springboks won’t have lock cover on the bench with Pieter-Steph du Toit likely to move into that position having started in the second row at Ellis Park.
This means that Salmaan Moerat, who captained South Africa against Australia in Perth, also misses out on the team but Erasmus believes that the lock will play and lead the Springboks plenty of times in the future.
“The guys handled the disappointment really well, Cobus [Reinach], Manie [Libbok], and even Salmaan,” Erasmus said.
“Had we gone for the 6-2, then Salmaan would have been in the team and even with a 5-3 we thought of a lock and a loose forward but we have the luxury of Pieter-Steph.
“I see Salmaan playing a lot of Test matches for South Africa still and I see him as a great captain, he is really somebody that brings something special to the party it’s a calmness and precision thing about him and he has a really great work ethic so we’ve got a few guys that are unlucky.”
